


Graceless Heart

by Eternal_Love_Song



Series: Regrets Collect [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, F/M, Introspection, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Dialogue, POV Pepper Potts, Relationship Study, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-15 01:09:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16052339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal_Love_Song/pseuds/Eternal_Love_Song
Summary: Tony was the one to talk Pepper into it.It wasn't the first time that she and Tony had a threesome, right?





	Graceless Heart

Tony was the one to talk Pepper into it.

Loki was ambivalent about the whole idea, content to lurk around the penthouse with a book in hand or be found watching Tony much too closely in his workshop. Pepper wasn't blind, she could spot when someone had interest in her boyfriend. But Loki was polite to her, almost to the point of deference. He would leave without having to be asked when Pepper wanted to be alone with Tony, he would not enter her space without permission, he was... good, all things considered.

So Tony was the one to talk her into it. He pitched it like it was for her benefit, maybe he actually thought it was. He knew that she'd been watching Loki, paying attention to Loki, and attributed that to attraction. Tony wasn't mad, oh no, he was all too willing to accommodate. Something to clear the air, work out the kinks, release the tension. It wasn't the first time that she and Tony had a threesome, right?

Jarvis showed her when he talked Loki into it, at her request. Loki had scoffed at the idea. Sleeping with mortals was absurd, sleeping with these particular mortals even more so. He was much more condescending toward Tony than he ever was with her. Pepper wondered if it was a sign of respect or a gesture of disinterest.

Tony was Tony, though. He always got what he wanted. He was just the right kind of charming, disarming, and not even Loki could resist. Loki tried very hard not to smile at him. Loki failed.

Pepper was surprised, honestly surprised, when she figured out that they hadn't done this before. She'd spent nights wondering, worrying, if she was losing to Loki. Pepper may have been halfway out the door some nights, but she didn't want to be pushed out by someone else. But no, she could tell once they were all together that it was the first time they had done so.

Loki was wide eyed with wonder, careful and cautious and uncertain and... worshipful. Loki looked at Tony like he was seeing the sun for the first time. And Tony was all too eager to get his hands on Loki. That was when she got it. Why Tony had gone out of his way to talk her into this. This wasn't just their first time, this would be their only time. For all that Pepper had been afraid that Tony would leave her, he wasn't anywhere close to doing so. She was convinced that he's never so much as kissed Loki before!

Because of her. Because Tony didn't want to hurt her, didn't want to leave her. And this was the most that he would let himself have. One night. And he was sharing it with her.

Pepper wasn't sure if she was more touched or if she felt like a third wheel from this realization. She didn't have much time to dwell on it much longer, because despite their clear eagerness to focus on each other, they focused on her. Loki was good with his hands. He seemed to draw all manner of sounds and squeaks and moans from her without really trying. Loki played her like a well tuned instrument, coaxing out a familiar melody. Tony had been with her long enough to know all her spots, what buttons to press and precisely how hard.

She barely had time to think, but when she did, guilt seeped in between their bodies. This shouldn't be about her, she wasn't sure that she wanted it to be about her, and yet here she was getting all the attention. After they left her breathless and panting for the third time she pushed them off of her and towards each other. It was under the pretense of taking a break, maybe she'd playfully added in her desire to watch them, neither of which was exactly a lie.

Loki was hesitant at first, unsure and begging permission with his eyes. Tony wasn't. He pulled Loki closer, even when there wasn't any space left between them to fill. Tony kissed Loki like he needed the god to breathe. Tony devoured and Loki quickly began to show his own desperate fervor.

It was a mistake to move. She had really only intended to get more comfortable, but they sprang apart instantly to face her. Tony was the first to touch her again, a question, wondering if she could take more or if the night had to be over. She thought Loki might run if he had an opening, so she didn't give him one. She reached out for Loki, kissing him the way she would kiss Tony, feeling his entire body stiffen from the unexpected contact and slowly relax.

Tony hadn't been wrong to think that she was attracted to Loki. Loki was very attractive in both personality and demeanor. It wasn't a chore to spread her thighs and accept him between them. She remained hyper aware of the tension between them though. Of Tony plastered to her back and reaching out to Loki under the pretense of touching her, of their locked eye contact over her shoulder, of cut off moans with suspicious syllables. Loki wanted to be pushing into Tony, whispering to Tony, instead he was respecting and kowtowing to a mortal woman that held what he couldn't.

Pepper put an arm behind her to pull Tony closer, used her other to pull Loki down, and shoved their faces together until they kissed over her. She tried to make herself as irrelevant as possible between them. She tried to fold her legs in a way that would give her cramps later so that they could be closer, bit her lip so that she would be near silent. She urged Loki to move slower, to draw out the process, for them.

She felt guilty when she couldn't hold it in any longer. When her cries burst free and body spasmed and she stole their attention away from each other again. Tony kissed her forehead and whispered praises into her hair, but she couldn't be sure if they were really for her or for Loki who was close enough to hear the intimate whispers. Loki left to retrieve a cloth to clean them all, a stalling tactic, she was sure. Eventually, there was nothing left to do. Loki fidgeted, unsure whether or not he should leave and Tony hesitated, unsure if he should extend the invitation. Pepper made the decision for them, telling Loki to stay and definitively taking one side of the bed so that Loki would be able to sleep next to Tony without fear.

She didn't sleep. She lay still for a long time, pretending to, before getting up to go to the bathroom. She was sure they were both awake as well, even if she hadn't heard so much as a rustle from the blanket. She took a long bath, letting them have the excuse to be alone and weighing her options.

Tony still loved her, that was obvious. He wouldn't have gone through as much trouble as he did if that wasn't the case. He was clearly in love with Loki too, though. He wasn't doing anything about that, except this. Pepper wasn't sure she felt good about that. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to. She wouldn't leave Tony for falling in love with someone else though.

It was maybe two hours later when pepper slipped back into bed. Maybe they were actually asleep this time and maybe they weren't. She was too tired to care and she went to sleep with her mind still heavy.

Loki was gone when she woke up, but Tony wasn't. Was that another concession on his part? Did he stay to reassure her or...

Tony smiled at her.

Pepper smiled back.

They didn't talk about it.

Tony seemed more cheerful in the following days, not that she'd thought he was particularly down before. Loki still walked in Tony's shadow. It wasn't any more obvious, but she was even more aware of it. In fact, it was designed to be unobtrusive, she was sure. Loki would be in rooms before Tony entered them, so it never looked like he was chasing Tony. If he was doing something, he wouldn't leave until the task was done or Pepper asked him to leave. It certain gave the impression that Loki had things to do, his own things, and wasn't bending himself around Tony. Pepper knew that had to be a well constructed lie. Everyone bent around Tony, herself included. And the look on Loki's face dispelled any idea she'd had that Loki was an exception to the rule. If anything, he was the underline beneath it, reinforcing the words.

Pepper was the one to talk Tony into it.

It had gone well last time, right, so a repeat performance wasn't out of the question. He'd seemed more hesitant this time, but she attributed that to trying not to seem over eager. It's not like it was a bad experience for her, after all. Mostly, she didn't want to be the reason that they didn't. Loki wasn't bad company, after all, so maybe...

Loki didn't scoff at her when she brought up the idea as he had with Tony. He'd closed his book very slowly, looked at her very carefully, asked if she were sure. There was a gravity to his words that she wasn't sure what to do with. Still, she nodded and said all the right things to convey her seriousness. Loki watched her, studied her, before nodding in turn and giving his own agreement.

When he left, Pepper took a deep breath. She told herself that she could do this, paused to make sure it wasn't a lie, and then talked herself into it. Pepper knew what to expect this time. Pepper was good at getting things done and Tony had always needed that from her.

Besides, it wouldn't be there first threesome, right? So there was nothing to worry about and everything to plan.


End file.
